To most observers, many industry manufacturers have done a good job in trying to become "green.bCrLf Whether it is closed loop manufacturing in the ceramic tile industry; tile buyback programs; strict adherence to Lacey Act in the wood flooring sector; carpets made from plastic bottles; carpets with a tad of corn; packaging that has post-consumer content; and on and on and on.

For the flooring retailer, knowing these green elements in products is fine but you won't close a sale with it nor will you get more money for all the greenness. One of the most important green efforts for any flooring retailer is the recycling of the old carpet.

The whole green issue is enormously confusing for retailers. On each sample of almost every product there are "green claims of greatness.bCrLf So what? But when it comes to where the old carpet goes, you are talking directly to the consumer in your town who fully understands the importance and value of diverting carpet from landfills.

We all know we put more Pampers and like products in the landfills that will take ten trillion years to biodegrade. The problem is that carpet is a very big offender, also.

C.A.R.E. (Carpet America Recovery Effort) is a joint industry-government effort. "It is a market driven solution to divert post-consumer carpet from landfills.bCrLf In other words, it is an attempt to get the carpet away from the Pampers and to use it again for something different or carpet. Last year, they diverted 337 million pounds of carpet to 101 reclamation centers in 28 states. Pretty cool.

But this promise of diverting nasty old carpet from the local landfill directly affects the customer's well-being. When the green promise helps her town, it is a very powerful story. She knows her town is running out of landfill space. The only solution is to bring less to the landfill. A retailer that can make that promise can make the most impactful green statement and I believe the retailer can charge for this great benefit.

For retailers in the 28 states that have a recycling or reclamation facility, you need to figure out how to get the carpet there. Empire is on the bandwagon and it is only a matter of time before the apron brigades figure out the value of carpet recycling.

Being good stewards of the land and saving the planet is no longer the mantra of the granola heads. It is here to stay. And those things that have a clear benefit to the local community will be the most valuable in the customer's mind.